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January 2 B, 199)
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Palo Alto, California
lire pepartment rarame4.ie I!roqr •• l\15justmepts
Me~rs of the Council:
Report in Brief
This is an informational report and no Council action is required. As
you kno~, the Palo Alto Fire Department completed a study to evaluate
alternative paramedic service delivery methods to meet the current and
future demands for service in the Palo Alto service area~ Staff will
present, during the interim budget !'evieW' period" paramedic pr09'ra:n
amendments for Council review. Staff's recommendations will address the
marked increase in the demand tor paramedi~ services in Palo Alto and
creative ways to meet this program's cost re=overy and revenue demands.
This report advises Council of administrative changes the Fire Department
has mad2 to ":.he paramedic programs that 'Were necessary to adjust to
unforeseen county mandates. The santa Clara county E:r.erqency Medical
services Director recently advise.:;) the Fire Chief that all emergency
medical patients must be transported by a Paramedic unit in Palo Alto.
This ~as a significant departure fron the pilot program, ~hich allowed
the Palo Al to paramedics to utiliZe non-paramedic 3:mbulances to transport
patients who had ~.inoI' illnesses oz: injuries. T~e roanda"C.e has resulted
in a 25 percent ir.cL"eaSe service demand for paramedic transports in Palo
Alto.
As a result, the City Manager has authorized staff to amend the Palo Alto
paramedic program:
• Pre-alerting County Paramedic communications Center vhen all
Palo Alto paramedic units are unavailable to respond to
additional calls. 'the pre-alert process 'Will minimize the
likelihood of a county paramedic unit having a long response
time into Palo Alto.
CMR 140:93
The use of two (from i5 to 17) ad~itional paramedic certified
firefighters to staff a second para:rnedic ambulance, Medic-2, in
service. This has been done using existing staffing levels.
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Medic-2 is now in service every day from S a.m~ to 8 p.m. usir.q
current ly budgeted overtime funds ~ if net:!es sar:,r ..
• During night time hours of 8 p.m. to B 3.m. one engine company
'Will operate Medic-2 if the Department's medic unitl Medic-l,
is busy with B patient. The COI:mty paramedic ur;it W'.,uld then
respond if both Hedic-l and 2 are not available.
Althouqh the Fire De~artment anticip~te6 this add~tional use of overtime
will not cause the Fire Departmgnt to exce~d its FY 9~-93 budget, staff
will monitor expenditures and keep Council acvised.
Respectfully 5ubmitted#
CMR 140:93
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